Alternate Universe Part 1: High School
by dana-maru1
Summary: Sue Thomas is 16 and in High School. Dealing with bullies, boys, and end of term dances...
1. Chapter 1

**__**

A/N: Just so you know, since I don't know anything about American schools and such, I've relocated Jack and Sue to ... Scotland. Lol. Anyways, thanks for looking at my fic, please review and tell me what you think of it so far!

A sixteen-year-old Sue Thomas clutched her folder to her chest, as though it was her life force. It was a warm day in August, and Sue was starting her fourth year of High School in a new place as her father had gotten a new job, which meant they had to move. All the way across the Atlantic Ocean, that is. So now Sue, who had only just begun to settle into her old school, was starting at a new school in a new country. _What if they hate me, like all the other kids used to? What if I can't read their lips, I mean mom said people here talk different. Mom told me I'd be able to, but still... _Her thoughts were interrupted by her mother telling her to get a move on before she was late. So she hurriedly got out of the car and made her way through the school gates. To the entrance of Notre Dame High School.

This was another thing Sue hated about moving schools, back in America she was never expected to follow a dress code, and now here she was kitted out in brown skirt, sweater and blazer, blue shirt and a blue and yellow striped tie. The hair tie holding her blonde locks in a ponytail was the same style as the tie. Glancing nervously around, she noticed that no one seemed to be hurrying to class yet, even though her mother had said that it was almost 9 o'clock. Though, the students she saw were older, and looked like they'd be right at home with the cheerleaders if she were back home.

Sue kneeled to fix her shoelace just as the older students she'd been watching came in line with her. One of them bumped into her on purpose, knocking her bag to the ground, along with everything in it. She scurried to pick up her stuff and shove it back in the back, fighting back tears as the gang giggled around her. The school bell rang, signaling that they should be in registration class by now so the group left her alone and ran off to class. A boy at the back of the group stopped to glance back apologetically. She smiled weakly at him before heading to the main part of the building, where she was told the reception area was, to find out where she was supposed to be.

Studying the timetable the receptionist had given her after she signed the 'Late Book', she noted that she had double English first, her favorite class. Well... unless she had to study Shakespeare, which she soon learned she would be doing. Macbeth, oh the _joy_. Watching the play was one thing, but reading it was a totally different universe, if you asked Sue.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Forgot to state the obvious in the first chapter, I do not own any of the characters from Sue Thomas F.B.Eye. If I did, Jack and Sue would be together in the show as well as in my fanfictions lol!

The rest of the day went smoothly, with Sue getting lost only twice on her way to a class. That, according to a girl in Sue's Math class, fourth period, was a record. Now, it was time to go to lunch, and the same girl - Amy - was showing Sue the way to the Lunch Hall. Taking a seat at a bench toward the back of the hall, Sue took out the Tupperware box that she'd brought lunch in. Amy had gone to buy her lunch at the canteen, so Sue was just glancing around the room, watching people's conversations. One group of kids were talking about a Debate Team tournament coming up, another group of girls discussing a netball competition. She spotted the group that had made fun of her that morning, going over tactics to sneak into a bar, and when she saw one of the boys looking at her, she blushed and turned away. Finding a crack in the ceiling particularly interesting, she didn't notice the boy approaching her.

"Hey, new girl, what's your name?"

She didn't answer him, still staring at the ceiling, and she jumped when he tapped her shoulder.

"Oh sorry! Were you saying something?"

"Didn't you hear? I was asking what your name was..."

"Um... No I didn't hear, sorry. I'm, um, deaf... My name's Sue, what's yours?"

"Sorry, didn't know you're deaf. Anyway, I'm Jack... Eh, just wanted to say sorry for how my friends treated you this morning. They have a thing for picking on the new kids."

"It's okay; I'm kinda used to it now..."

"How... um, how do you know what I'm saying if you can't hear - if-if you don't mind my asking?"

"No, I don't mind... I have a very determined mother; she made me learn to lip read."

"Wow, cool!" Jack said, glancing around the room and pointing to a group across from them, "can you tell what they're saying?"

Sue nodded, and watched the conversation. She didn't feel right, watching them talk about which students they fancied, and when she saw a particular name crop up she blushed, turning away. Jack touched her shoulder again to get her attention.

"Well, what were they saying?"

"Um... they were talking about what kids they have a crush on..."

"Why have you gone red? Does one of them have a crush on _you_ or something?"

"No, haven't seen any of them before..."

"Well, you turned away pretty fast; whom do they like?"

"She likes someone called Gary Sinclair, he likes Amy Neill," she answered pointing to each of the group in turn, "he likes a girl called Erin Douglas, he likes Lucy Dotson and she likes Jack Hudson."

She blushed again, and found another crack in the ceiling to stare intently at. Jack, being a typical boy, didn't have a clue why she was embarrassed. He looked toward the table he'd been sitting at with his friends; relieved to see they'd left the hall so they wouldn't bug him about talking to Sue. He sat across from her on the bench and lightly touched her hand, hoping to get her attention again. At that moment, though Amy returned with a few of her friends and once Sue was looking at her, she began to introduce the small group.

"Sue, these are some of my friends, Erin Douglas, Helen Hudson, Lucy Dotson and Nicola Lowe." Amy told her, gesturing to each one of them in turn.

"Call me Nikki."

"N-nice to meet you." Sue smiled nervously.

"Yeah you too," Nikki replied, "I see you've already met Jack."

Sue's cheeks flashed a darker shade of pink. Lucy smiled knowingly and resolved to set the pair up any chance she got. She'd talk to the gang about it later.

"Eh, I better get going; Bobby will be waiting, got basketball practice next period."

"Later, Jack."

"See you in Science!"

"Yeah, bye Jack."

Once Jack was out of sight, the girls sat on the bench, all across from Sue since Amy had told them she had to see their lips if they were talking to her.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Please, don't kill me for making any of the original ST characters smoke!  Also this one's especially for my best friend.  You know who you are babes!

Once Jack was out of sight, the girls sat on the bench, all of them across from Sue since Amy had told them she had to see their lips if they were talking to her.

"So... what have you got after lunch, Sue?" Nikki asked

"I've got science, with Mr. McRae, and then English with Mrs. McDade."

"Really? Me too, let's see your timetable for a sec?"

Sue simply nodded, rummaged in her bag for the timetable and handed the crumbled piece of paper over to Lucy who scanned it.

"Your timetable is the exact same as Amy's and mines so how come I never noticed you in any of my classes before?"

"I dunno, but I've been sitting right at the back of all my classes."

Lucy nodded, and glanced at her watch.

"It's only half one, time for a quick fag before science."

"_Fag?_ What do you want a gay guy for?" Sue asked incredulously.

"A gay boy?" Lucy replied, laughing, "no, she means a cigarette!"

"Oh!" Sue blushed furiously for the fourth time in the short space of half an hour.

Sue followed them through a fire exit door, up a flight of stairs and round to the back of the school building where the girls led her behind a statue of the Virgin Mary holding baby Jesus. Amy took a packet of cigarettes out of her blazer pocket, removing a cigarette for herself and passed the pack around her friends. They worked a sort of system, where they took it in turns to buy the cigarettes each day. The small box ended up in Sue's hands. She stood staring at her, debating with herself whether or not to try it. She too removed a cigarette from the pack, rolling it between her fingers as she watched the rest of them light up one by one - they shared a lighter too.

"You don't have to smoke it if you don't want to, you know." Amy told her.

"Wouldn't hurt to try, I guess..." Sue replied, hesitance evident in her voice.

So Nikki handed over the lighter and Sue lit her cigarette, sucking in the smoke and blowing it straight back out of her mouth again.

"No, you have to _inhale_."

"H-how do I do that?"

"Look," Helen replied, demonstrating "you suck in the smoke, then breath in and _then _you blow it out."

Sue did as Helen had told her, but, unlike the rest of them, she breathed in too deeply and ended up coughing. Amy patted Sue's back and told her again that she didn't have to smoke if she didn't want to. Sue shook her head and tried again, coughing a bit less the second time. When she finally managed to take a drag without coughing, she found that she quite enjoyed it. Not so much the smoking itself, but the fact that she knew her mother would most likely kill her if she found out. Sue rarely let her rebellious side show, and she relished in the idea of breaking one of her mom's rules.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Note, I do not encourage you to follow the following actions. LoL.

Walking home from school at three-thirty, Sue was accompanied by Amy and Lucy since they lived quite close to each other. The rest of the group lived on the other side of the city. Amy lit up another cigarette, and this time they shared one between them.

"Hey, Sue you wanna come over to mine tonight, we can get homework out of the way and watch a movie or something?"

"Yeah, sure! I'll have to check with mom first, make sure it's okay."

"We'll walk you home first then."

"Great thanks!"

They walked down to the bottom of the hill in silence, their arms linked together. When they got to the bottom they were met by two of the girls that Sue had a run in with before school started.

"Hi, girls, I see you haven't been listening to our advice lately?"

"What advice would that be Carly?"

"What advice? Don't tell me what little was left of your brains finally took off. I'm talking about the advice regarding new girls to the school."

"Oh _now_ I remember. But, tell me Carly, what the hell makes you think I'm gonna listen to _advice_ from a bitch like you?"

"You've no right calling her a bitch!"

"And just what are you going to do about it Claire?"

"Say it again and you'll bloody well see!" She yelled.

"Oh yeah? Well you _and _Carly are just a pair of stupid BITCHES! There I said it again; I don't see anything happening." Amy said mockingly.

Now was definitely not the time to be messing with her, she was already pissed off just at the sight of them. _Spoke to soon_, she thought as Claire came flying at her. But Claire wasn't quick enough; Amy had her long hair wrapped round her fists almost as soon as Claire came within touching distance. Carly, who was definitely stupid if her next actions were anything to go by, made a move to pounce on Sue. Lucy intercepted and received a slap in the face.

"Oohh now you've done it!"

Lucy hissed at her, before she pounced on her. She had one hand wrapped around Carly's ponytail and drew her other hand back to throw a punch. Lucy hit her square in the jaw. She was about to swing again but Sue grabbed her hand.

"She's not worth it." Sue said simply.

And Lucy let go of Carly with a final shove. She smiled as she watched Carly tumble into a hedge and went to pull Amy off of Claire. Pulling Amy away from a fight was a lot more difficult than getting Lucy to stop and Lucy almost got a punch from Amy for her efforts. Finally she relented.

"Mess with any of my friends again and I swear you'll lose more than a clump of hair."

She spat at Claire - who was sporting a split lip as well as looking as though she'd been dragged through a hedge backwards - before turning to Lucy.

"What the hell did you go and do that for?"

"She's not worth it Amy. We've been suspended once before for it; do you want to get suspended again?"

"I suppose not."

"I'm sorry guys, I didn't mean to get you involved in this." Sue looked quite upset as she spoke.

"Hey, no worries, what are friends for eh?"

Sue smiled. _Friends_, she'd never had a real one of those before...


	5. Chapter 5

Arms linked again, the walked together to the house Sue shared with her mother, father and brother. Her brother was two years older than Sue was, and in his final year at the same school as her. Sue's father had moved to Scotland with her brother before Sue followed with her mother, so he had already settled in. She had two other older brothers, but they'd stayed in the US for college... Sue, Amy and Lucy stopped outside the Victorian tenement block to press the entry buzzer since Sue had yet to get her own set of keys. Sue's brother came to the communal door to let them in, since Sue couldn't hear when they unlocked the entry system.

"Hey little sis! How was the first day? Didn't see you all day!"

"Hey, it was okay. I actually managed to make some friends for once!"

Her brother smiled noticing Amy and Lucy for the first time.

"Oh hi! I've seen you two around..."

"Yeah! We've seen you too." Lucy answered, blushing.

"I'm David Thomas; Sue's big brother."

"Amy Neill."

"Lucy Dotson."

"Nice to meet you."

"Yeah, you too." The two of them replied at the same time.

"Well are you gonna let us in David, or are we just gonna have to freeze our asses off?"

"Watch that mouth Sue Thomas - or I will just let you freeze." He replied, playfully.

"Sorry... But it is cold so will you move?"

David stepped out of the way to let the three girls pass and followed behind them. They walked past the kitchen door, Sue yelling a hasty "Hi mom!" Before heading to her room. Amy and Lucy inspected themselves for cuts and bruises in the full-length mirror whilst Sue got changed in the connecting bathroom. When Sue emerged, her bedroom door opened and a black Labrador waltzed through it. Bounding up to her, barking like mad.

"Whoa Pepper! Calm down girl!"

Sue exclaimed, giggling as the dog licked her face frantically. Pepper dropped her front paws off of Sue's shoulders and rolled on the floor, lying on her back so Sue could rub her belly. Pepper was black all over except for the gray specks on her belly, which she got her name from.

"Cute dog, my mum would never let me have one." Lucy told Sue when she looked in her direction.

"Pepper's not just any dog; she's being trained so she can be sort of like my ears."

"Cool." Amy replied, kneeling down to stroke the puppy's soft fur.

After a few moments, Lucy told them that, unless she wanted grounded they had to go. So the three of them made their way back down the hallway, when Sue's mom placed a hand on her shoulder and she turned round to face her.

"Oh, hey mom. I'm just going to Lucy's house with her and Amy."

"Sure, honey. I'll hear about your first day when you get home then..."

Sue smiled and her mother pulled her close for a hug before holding her at arms-length so she could speak.

"What's that smell?"

"What smell mom?" Sue replied, with the most innocent expression she could muster.

"Don't give me that, Sue Thomas, I can smell smoke on you!"

"Oh!" Sue said, "It must be from that science experiment we did after lunch, we were timing how long it took for certain things to burn down... like paper and stuff."

"Oh, okay, well if that's all it is I'll see you later honey."

"Yeah, bye mom."

And with that, Sue, Lucy and Amy left the ground lever flat/apartment, and headed toward the park.

"That was too close!" Amy exclaimed, once they were across the road.

"Yeah, I almost got grounded for a month!"

"She wouldn't ground you that long would she?" Lucy asked

"You don't know my mom!"

They all laughed, and carried on walking in silence until they stopped outside 14 Belmont Street - Lucy's house - and Lucy opened the door to let them all in.

"Lucy, you're late!"

"Sorry, we went to Sue's house first, so she could tell her mum she was coming over."

"And who is Sue?"

Lucy gestured to Sue to come into the living room so she could meet her mom but Sue was staring intently at the paintings along the wall and wasn't aware that Lucy was trying to get her attention. Lucy's mom shook her head, feeling sorry for the young girl who she thought was just shy. Lucy walked over to Sue and placed a hand on her arm.

"Oh sorry! Were you saying something?"

"Yeah, do you want to come in and meet my mum?"

"Okay!" She replied, following Lucy through to the lounge.

"Hey mum, this is Sue."

Sue smiled, and looked away again, feeling very self-conscious.

"Nice to meet you." Lucy's mom said and Lucy had to get her attention again.

"Sorry, what?"

"I said it's nice to meet you, dear." She answered impatiently.

"Mum, Sue's not being ignorant - she can't hear you."

"Oh! I'm so sorry dear, I didn't realize..."

"It's okay."

"Well mum, we're gonna go upstairs."

"Yes, dear, are Amy and Sue staying for dinner."

Lucy looked at Sue who answered with a slight nod, then at Amy who said

"Of course, Mrs. Dotson!"

Then the three of them left to race up the four flights of stairs to Lucy's bedroom at the top of the house. Sue took her cell phone from her backpack and typed in **_David, tell mom I'm staying at Lucy's for dinner_**, sending the message to his cell, she put hers in the back pocket of her jeans so she'd know if David replied.

"So, Sue... What year is David in? How old is he?"

"He's almost 18, in 6th year. Why do you want to know?"

"Well he _is_ hot!"

Sue grimaced - this was her brother Amy was talking about! Amy laughed at her reaction, but went on.

"Has he got a date for the Christmas dance?"

"I don't think so, why?"

"Do you think he'd go with?"

"I don't know why don't you ask him?"

"I can't ask him! Why don't _you_ ask him?"

"I'll ask him, save you both the embarrassment."

"Thanks Luce!" They chimed in unison.

"No sweat, so Sue who have you got your eye on?"

"No one!" She answered a bit too quickly, "but I do know Bobby's thinking about asking you."

"Don't change the subject - wait did you say Bobby's gonna ask me to the dance?!"

"Uh huh."

"How'd you know that?"

"I was watching him tell a couple of his friends at lunch before Jack came over."

Thinking of Jack, her cheeks were suddenly tinged pink again.

"Aha! Its _Jack_ you like isn't it? What did he want at lunchtime anyways?"

"He just said sorry for the way his friends were treating me this morning before school started... that's all."

Before Lucy could pry any more, her mother called on them to come and get dinner and afterwards Sue got a text message from David saying **_Mom said you've to be home by 7._**

"I've got to be home for seven, what time is it now?"

"It's six-thirty, we'll walk you home now."

So the three of them grabbed their coats, Sue taking her bag too, and left Lucy's house to walk through the park again. Once the door to Sue's house was closed behind her, Lucy turned to Amy and said,

"Do you think Helen would mind helping us to set her brother up with Sue?"

****

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	6. Chapter 6

Amy giggled; she knew what Lucy was like. If Lucy thought two people liked each other, she push until they were together. She had even done it to Helen before, and Amy. Some were disasters in the end, but Amy had dated Dale for over a year. They'd split up in the end but by High School years, that was total success.

"Won't hurt to ask I guess. I know you'll try to set them up even without our help anyway!"

"Too right I will! Those two are made for each other!"

Amy rolled her eyes, smiling at her best friend... well one of them. Her whole group was all best friends, really.

"What?"

"You always say that people are made for each other, but how many couples have stayed together after you've set them up?"

"Well, you and Dale were together for ages... Helen and Derek were together for six months - which's a record for her. But, Sue and Jack..." she sighed wistfully, "those two _are_ truly a match made in heaven."

"Whatever you say!"

Lucy slapped her playfully on the arm, and the two of them fell about laughing. Their little group was nothing like any other; they were more than best friends. They were as close as sisters could be without actually being biological sisters - maybe even closer.

The pair walked back to Lucy's house, and was met by Helen who lived next door to Lucy at number 18 Belmont Street.

"Ah, just the girl I wanted to see!"

Helen stopped in her tracks, and eyed Lucy suspiciously.

"What... for?" She said slowly.

"We need your help." Lucy answered

"To set Sue up with..." Amy tossed in

"Jack." They both finished.

"Do I have to?" Helen asked, uncomfortable to be matchmaking her _brother_ of all people.

"Well not really..." Lucy began

"But you know him better than us.

"And we could really use your help."

"If we're going to set them up, you can tell us anything he likes..."

"So we can make it easier to set them up _before_ the Christmas dance."

"Which is only a month and a half away."

"Okay! Fine! Just stop the guilt trip!"

Amy and Lucy high-fived and signed '_thank you' _to Helen.

"What was that?" Helen asked, obviously confused.

"What? Oh you mean this!" Amy signed it again, "Sue taught us it, it means 'thank you' in ASL..."

"ASL?"

"American Sign Language." Lucy told her, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Oh right... do it again?"

They did, and taught Helen the sign for '_you're welcome_' too. Amy had even remembered how to fingerspell her name, whereas Lucy's came out as L-c-y because she forgot what 'u' was.

At the same time as this was going on, Sue lay on top of her bed, watching one of her tapes of The X-Files. She dreamed of working for the FBI, but doubted they'd ever let someone like her in. Her thoughts drifted from crime fighting, to her first day at her new school. If someone had told her last week that moving to Scotland would prove to be a lot better than she expected, Sue would have laughed right in their faces. But, now, her views had totally changed. She actually had made some friends for the first time in her life. Her parents had made her learn to lip-read and speak, so that she could have what they called a 'normal' life. Whatever _that_ was. Don't get me wrong, Sue loved her parents, but sometimes her mother could be so overbearing. She pushed and pushed until Sue sometimes felt she was going to go right over the edge. Secretly, she was glad that her mother kept pushing - even if she wouldn't even admit it to herself sometimes - because, if she wasn't pushed, she wouldn't be the determined young woman she was. Her determination was part of her charm, it's what touched people's lives. Sure she had naive views on life at times, and always thought that somehow she could make the world a better place. But right now, all she wanted to do was fit in, be accepted for who she was and not made an outcast just because she couldn't hear like the rest of her classmates. And finally, that was beginning to happen.

****

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	7. Chapter 7

A month had passed since Sue first enrolled at Notre Dame High, it was nearing the end of November and all the students talked about was the upcoming Christmas Dance. Each year a group of Fourth Year pupils were selected to organize it, and this year it was the group whom had befriended Sue on her first day. Sue, Amy, Lucy, Erin, Helen and Nikki were seated at a desk in an empty classroom during their lunch hour, discussing ideas.

"I think we should do some sort of theme." Lucy suggested

"Like what?" Nikki asked

"I don't know... like Hollywood Couples or something."

"Nah, that's been done before..."

"What are the dances normally like here?" Sue enquired.

"Well, usually we have a disco-type thing or something..." Amy answered

"Well, how about we make it like a Prom?"

"What like in American movies?" Nikki queried

"Yeah..." Sue said

"And we'd have a Prom King and Queen and everything?"

"I guess..."

"I like it!" Erin exclaimed, "okay, hands up who wants a prom?"

They all raised their hands, and Sue beamed at their approval of her idea. She hadn't been used to people listening to what she had to say, until she met these girls. She'd grown accustomed to keeping quiet, because either she was blatantly ignored or her peers made fun of anything she said. Now, though, it was different. Helen, who placed her hand over Sue's to get her attention, interrupted her thoughts,

"So how exactly does the selection of Prom King and Queen work?"

"Well, basically it's kind of like voting for congressmen; we have a ballot and all the students' vote for their favorite couple out of about ten couples nominated by all the school."

"Cool, so we have to get the students to put forward names of couples _before_ the dance?"

"Yeah, and then the students that attend the prom vote for their favorite couple on the night."

"Okay, we'll get that done first, put posters up by the end of next week to tell people to vote, it's only fourth to sixth years that get to go to the Prom though."

The bell rang and the girls packed up their things to head to fifth period class. All of them were in English but mostly in separate classrooms. Lucy, Amy and Helen were in the same class, so they headed off together, with Lucy saying,

"We have until next Friday to get Jack and Sue together."

"You want them together for the vote. You're not going to rig it are you?" Helen asked, knowing how Lucy thought.

"No! I just want them to have a _chance_ at being voted Prom King and Queen."

"Got any ideas, girls?" Lucy asked them

"Well, I think the best way to do it is compile a list of what each of them likes... then maybe we can come up with something they both like to do..."

"Sounds good to me." Amy whispered before Miss. McDade silenced them with a glare, signaling that the lesson was about to begin.

Sue sat in Mr. McCue's class, she opened her copy of 'Macbeth' at the scene in which Lady Macbeth goes mad and sighed heavily. She read through the scene slowly, trying to absorb what the words meant, but Shakespeare was just nonsense to her. Fifteen minutes before the end of class, she glanced up when she saw the classroom door open, imagining that it was her very own Prince Charming, coming to rescue her from this torture. And in a sense, it _was_. She watched his lips move as he whispered to her English teacher,

"Sir, I've got a note from Mrs. McLaughlin, she wants to see Sue Thomas... you know, to check on her progress..."

"Fine." He said simply and then looking toward Sue said, "Miss Thomas, will you gather your books and bag and go to see the Headmistress?"

Sue nodded and hurriedly packed up her things. They walked side by side along the corridor, with Sue wondering what on earth Mrs. McLaughlin could possibly want to know. _Maybe she doesn't think I can keep up with the work? _She thought, _No, I've been doing homework and getting good grades... then what is it?_ She snapped out of her thoughts when Jack gently took her hand. Startled, she looked up at him and blushed.

"What do you think Mrs. McLaughlin wants to see me for?"

"Eh... she doesn't." Jack grinned sheepishly, "it's just easier to talk to you while my meddling sister and your other friends aren't around."

"Well what do you want to talk about?"

"Well... eh, you know there's a new film coming out this weekend, on Friday. And well, I was wondering if um... if ... you'd ... err ... come with me?" He looked at her with hopeful eyes.

"Sure, I'd ... uh... love to go with you!"

Jack smiled and took hold of her other hand, pulling her closer to him so he could give her a gentle kiss on the cheek.

Unbeknown to the pair, Lucy had just walked out of the bathroom and spotted them. She smiled triumphantly before walking back up the stairs.

****

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	8. Chapter 8

**_Happy now 'Len? No more tonight..._**

Lucy took her seat again in English class, next to Amy.

"Score." She whispered in Amy's ear.

"Huh?" Was Amy's confused reply.

"It looks like we don't have to work on setting Sue and Jack up, I saw the two of them together in the corridor downstairs." Lucy hissed

"And?"

"And they were holding hands... _and_ Jack kissed her. On the cheek but it was still a kiss!"

"Why hasn't she told us?" Amy said a little louder than she planned to

"Girls, would you rather catch up on the lesson in detention?" Their teacher asked, rhetorically, glaring at the pair.

"No, miss, sorry..." Amy said.

"Well then I suggest you _listen_ rather than talk!"

"Yes, miss." Both girls answered.

They did as told, or at least _appeared_ to. Staring intently at the board the teacher was writing their homework assignment on, they wrote on a page torn out of Amy's notebook.

_So what else do you know? _**Nothing, I just saw that.** _Well, do you think we should ask Sue?_ **Of course! What else? **_Suppose; right so we're going to have to ask after school. _**Do you think she's actually gonna tell us? **_Won't know unless we ask..._

The bell rang, signaling that class was over, and most of the fourth years had last period free so Amy and Lucy waited at the school gates for Sue, Helen, Nikki and Erin. Nikki and Erin left the school first, with Jake and David Williams, two brothers that they were both dating. Their sister, Tara was in Helen's English class and they came out of the school together, both being what some would call 'computer geeks' they were talking excitedly about the new Photoshop software. Amy rolled her eyes, as did Lucy but any friend of Helen's was a friend of theirs so they gave their approval and Tara had recently become part of their tight-knit little group and was also in on the plans to get Sue and Jack together.

"Hey guys, guess what?" Lucy yelled at them

"What?" Tara asked once they'd got closer.

"Our plans have been foiled..."

"What plans?" Helen replied.

"You know... the ones that include Jack and Sue."

"Oh! Why? What happened?"

"Well, it _looks_ like they're already ... together."

"YES!" Came a chorus of voices, belonging to everyone in the group.

They all high-fived each other, then spotting Sue leave the school, then rounded on her.

"Hey Sue, Lucy says she saw you and Jack earlier." Amy accused, though playfully.

"So..."

"So we were wondering what's going on?" Tara chimed in.

"What? Oh, nothing!" Sue replied hurriedly.

"Yeah right! Come on spill! Is he taking you to the Prom?"

"I don't think so, he only asked me to..." She stopped talking, realizing she'd given too much away and blushed.

"Spit it out girl!" Lucy exclaimed, "asked you to what?"

"Um... it's nothing!"

"Don't give me that Susan Thomas!" Erin laughed.

"Okay fine just don't call me that! He asked me to go to a movie with him. Happy?"

"Ecstatic! So what you going to see?" Amy asked.

"Well... there's a new X-Files movie coming out on Friday."

"Yes! I knew he'd take my advice!" Helen smiled.

"What advice?"

"Oh..." Helen started, knowing she too had been foiled, "he wanted me to see it with him, and I told him I had other plans but you'd maybe like to see it..."

"Helen! How could you do that?" Sue asked, perplexed that they'd been set up even if she was happy about it really.

"Um... well, like Lucy _always _says, you two are made for each other."

Sue, blushing a brighter shade of pink smiled, taking a cigarette packet from her blazer pocket - it was her turn to buy a pack that day.

Running through the front door, Sue ran straight into her mom.

"Ouch! Slow down honey! What's gotten you so excited?"

"Mom, is it okay if I go to the cinema on Friday night?"

"Sure honey, you'll have to see if your dad will give you the money. Who are you going with?"

"No one really... just a guy."

"Whoa! Did I just hear my baby sister say she has a _date_?" David said, walking through the door, "mind me asking whom?"

"Not that it's any of your business... but it's, um, Jack." She told him, blushing yet again.

"Jack? Which one?"

"I only know one..."

"Oh! Jack Hudson? I saw him talking to you on your first day..."

"That would be him... Gotta go do my homework!" She said hurriedly, before making a dash for her bedroom to avoid further enquiries.

She finished her math homework and the essays for History and English then lay back on her bed, planning what she'd wear on Friday in her head. Mentally tossing aside every item in her wardrobe until she decided she'd have to get the gang to help. _Yep, good idea, gotta make them help._ She thought to herself, wondering if it really was a good idea. I mean, when it comes to Amy and Erin, who knows how short a skirt she'd be talked into wearing?


	9. Chapter 9

The week rolled by quickly. Too quickly for Sue's liking. Friday afternoon had come, and Sue was sitting in the lunch hall with Amy, Lucy and Erin, discussing Sue's 'date' when Carly and the rest of Jack's 'friends' just happened to saunter past their table, sans Jack.

"Did I hear that right?" Carly exclaimed,

Amy rolled her eyes and took out her earrings, just incase.

"Nah, the freak can't possibly have a date." Claire answered.

"Who the hell do you think you are?!" Amy yelled at them, followed by Lucy who said:

"If anyone's a freak, then it's got to be you!"

"What - can't the _freak_ speak for herself?" a third girl mocked.

"Wow, that's an extensive vocabulary you've all got. Is 'freak' the most insulting word you could come up with? 'Cause if it is, you really need to come up with a new one. Oh, wait... your small brains don't have that capacity. Sorry I forgot."

"Actually, no, we can think of a lot more. _But_ I think they may be too harsh for her sensitive ears."

"I think you mean _eyes_." Sue told Carly, "I'm deaf."

"Ah, the freak speaks."

That's all it took. Amy snapped, and flew at Carly. Soon, half the students in the lunch hall had gathered round them cheering for one or the other. Luckily for the scrapping pair, teachers ate in the staff room. Jack, who'd just come into the lunch hall, waded through the crowd to the front and promptly pulled Carly away from Amy.

"What the hell do you think you're playing at Carly?"

"Well... I _was_ just talking to Sue, then this psycho attacked me." Carly lied unconvincingly.

"Yeah, right Carly. And I'm Elvis." He replied sarcastically.

"Hey! That's my line." A boy with an Australian accent quipped.

"Shut up, Bobby." Carly snapped.

"I think you should actually," Jack said, "and you might want to tell me the truth now."

Carly stayed silent so Amy explained for her.

"Well, it seems your friend here doesn't quite like Sue. Apparently, Carly prefers to call her 'freak' rather than her proper name. And you know I won't stand for stuff like that."

"Yeah, I think I know it too well. And Carly, I'd prefer it too if you wouldn't refer to Sue using the word 'freak' or anything else other than her name."

"Oh. My. God. Don't tell me you've got a _crush_ on her! You're outta luck if that's the case. Seems she's already got a date."

"Actually, that would be me."

"You don't mean that!" Carly said stupidly.

"Yeah, I do."

"Oh no you don't!" Carly yelled, having quite a bit of a crush on him herself.

"Oh yes I do." Jack shot back, wincing when he became aware that they sounded quite like pantomime characters.

"Well then I guess we can count you out of our friendship then."

"Fine by me, I'm sick of your crap anyway." And with that, Jack joined Sue on the bench she was sitting on.

"Mind if I join ya, mate?" Bobby asked.

"Be my guest."

"Aargh!" Was all Carly could come up with before storming away with Claire and the other girl in tow.

****

Man, this is rather short. So I'll try to get the next chapter up real soon... I swear! p.s. LaLa? You better keep that promise!


	10. Chapter 10

**_Since you asked so nicely, here's chapter 10 early._**

Thankfully, none of the teachers found out about the little _incident_ in the lunch hall earlier, so Amy was spared detention and still free to help Sue ransack her closet. Along with Lucy, of course. Erin, Nikki, Helen and Tara were all in Helen's bedroom, waiting for the call that would let them know when it was time to go. After what seemed like an eternity, the girls had settled on a pair of tight blue bootleg jeans and a red turtleneck sweater. So Sue would be warm - November meant icy winds - but still look good. Sue hadn't wanted to wear any make-up so Amy compromised and only applied mascara to Sue's eyelashes. To accent her eyes, Amy had told her.

At long last, the hands on the clock showed it was six-thirty, and right on cue Sue's mother opened the bedroom door to let her know Jack was waiting. Amy quickly typed a text message to Helen saying; **Meet you at St. Enoch underground in about 15 minutes - let Bobby know, will you?** Before they all left Sue's bedroom. Lucy told Sue that the girls would ride the underground with her and Jack because they were going over to Helen's. Walking along Dumbarton Road to Kelvinhall Underground, the eight of them chatted idly about the dance. Lucy had struck up the conversation in the hope that Jack would hurry up and ask Sue to go with him, but either he wasn't taking the hint or he was simply ignoring it. Really, he just didn't want to ask in front of all their friends. Well, what if she said no? That would be major public humiliation in the eyes of a High School student. Nope, he'd take it slowly, see how the movie went and then, perhaps later he might just ask her to the dance.

When the carriage door opened at Kelvinbridge Underground, Sue and Jack expected to be left alone on the train while they waited for it to come to their stop at Buchanan Street. But Lucy and Amy made excuses that they'd decided they were going to go 'window shopping' instead of going to over to Helen's, to see if they could find some suitable dresses for the Prom.

They sat in silence, traveling to the City Center underneath the streets. The carriage they were in was packed and Jack had the only seat left whilst the rest of them stood so Amy decided to give Sue a literal push in the right direction where Jack was concerned. The carriage lurched and Amy bumped into Sue, knocking her onto Jack's knee. For a moment or two she sat stunned, contemplating how he would react if she didn't bother trying to stand again. He didn't seem to mind so she stayed where she was and leaned back, her head resting on his shoulders, smiling contentedly. Lucy received a sharp elbow between her ribs, which was from Amy who was trying to draw Lucy's attention to the pair.

"Aren't they just the cutest couple?" Amy said into Lucy's ear.

"Yeah, I told you they were made for each other. Maybe now you believe me." Lucy hissed back.

"Of course I do! Who wouldn't, looking at them?"

Sue, who'd been watching their lips, smiled to herself, blushing a little. Times were definitely changing for her, two months ago she'd had more enemies than friends. In fact, she barely had even one decent friend at all. And, now, here she was with a strong group of people who she counted as _best_ friends, as they did her. And to top it all off, she was going on a date with Jack Hudson... Life was good.

She sat wondering if her payback plan was going to work. She'd hinted to Jack that Lucy was head-over-heels for Bobby, hoping he'd pass on the information. She and Jack got off the train as it rolled in at Buchanan Street Station. The rest of them got off at the next stop, and stood waiting on the opposite platform for Bobby.

"Hey Sheila's!" Came the call from the Aussie, who was almost running toward the group of girls standing on the platform.

"H-hi, Bobby." Lucy replied, stuttering. It was obvious to her friends that Lucy liked Bobby, and she wondered if it was as obvious to him.

"Alright, mate." Tara chimed in, noticing the red shade that had crept onto Lucy's cheeks.

"Hey, Lucy, can I talk to you for a mo'?"

"Sure Bobby." She replied, stepping a little bit away from the group. "What's up?"

"Well, I heard you didn't have a date for the dance yet..."

"So what if I don't?" Lucy shot back, getting on the defensive for fear that he was making fun of her.

"Err, I was actually just wondering that maybe ... since you don't have anyone else yet, if you'd wanna go with me?" He drawled in that irresistible accent of his.

"Um... yeah, sure, why not?"

"Cool, well I guess we better catch up to that lot before they get suspicious." He laughed watching the girls begin to board the train that would take them back to Buchanan Street.

Waiting in line to buy their tickets for the movie, they all hoped Sue and Jack wouldn't spot them. After all, what good was spying on the couple if they were caught in the process?

**_Want more? Hit that review button then! lol_**


	11. Chapter 11

The seven of them filed into the theatre that 'The X-Files: Fight the Future' was showing in, trying to look inconspicuous while glancing around for Sue and Jack. Nikki spotted them at a row near the front, presumably so that Sue could read the lips on the screen easier, and nudged Erin, who nudged Helen and so on and so forth. Once all of them had been nudged and informed of where Sue and Jack sat, they took their seats at an empty row a couple of rows behind the pair, holding their breaths when Nikki burst her bag of popcorn and the sound resonated in the almost silent theatre. However, neither Sue nor Jack turned round. Well, Sue wouldn't have heard it but Jack chose to ignore it anyway, lost in his conversation with Sue. _Shame I can't read lips right now_, Lucy thought, wondering what they were talking about. She couldn't even begin to guess.

"Sue, what do you think Lucy would say if Bobby asked her to this Prom thing?"

"Didn't I already tell you she liked him?"

"Oh yeah, so you think she'd go with him?"

"Are you mad? Of course she would!"

"Oh. Good."

"Why's that?"

"Because... he's going to ask her next time he sees her."

"Oh! Well that's good." Sue replied, trying to hide her disappointment that Jack hadn't asked her to go yet.

The movie started shortly after the announcement was made that all movie viewers should switch off their mobile phones and that smoking in the theatre was forbidden, and they fell into a comfortable silence. Sue's head rested on Jack's shoulder and he entwined his hands with hers. Toward the end of the movie, Lucy watched as the pair gazed at each other and their heads moved closer together. Bobby couldn't resist, he threw a handful of popcorn in their direction, just before their lips met and they both turned in the general direction of where the popcorn had come from, spotting the group of their friends just three rows behind.

"Uh-oh busted." Amy whispered when she knew they'd been rumbled.

"No kidding! How do we get out of this one then, smarty-pants?" Tara retorted.

"Hey! You're the brainy one _- you_ think of something." Lucy told her.

"I don't think there's any point in lying, actually. By the look on their faces, they know we only came here to spy on them..." Tara reasoned.

"Yeah, I suppose you're right. Come on." Bobby said, tugging Lucy's hand to indicate they were leaving.

Helen noticed the exchange, nodded to Tara, both girls giggling.

"Looks like it's only me, you and Amy that still need dates for this Prom thing then." Helen muttered.

"Actually, I think David's going to ask Amy on Monday."

"David? Are you talking about the same David she's been swooning over for the past month - as in Sue's brother?"

"The very same." Tara replied, "and I also happen to know that there's someone who has their eye on you..."

"Who?!"

"Ah, that would be telling! You'll just have to wait and see." And she ran to catch up with the gang before Helen had the chance to ask any more.

****

Oh god's this is so, so short, I know. And I promise to update sooner next time if permits ... and I'm working on the Prom chapter as of about ten seconds from now so please forgive me and review!


	12. Chapter 12

Saturday morning, Sue woke early thanks to a call from Erin causing her cell phone to vibrate under her pillow. She'd only called to make sure Sue was awake in time so Sue told her she was, pressed the 'end call' button and quickly got dressed. She was meeting the rest of the gang to go shopping in town. With only one more week until the Prom, they had to find dresses fast. She went into the kitchen, grabbed a breakfast bar, and throwing on her black parka she rushed toward the door, yelling her goodbyes. It was only 10am and the rest of the household was still asleep though, so her yells fell on deaf ears - so to speak.

Sue waited at the bus stop for over half an hour, finally the bus she'd been waiting for since ten minutes past ten, showed up at twenty to eleven. _So much for the number 62 bus being every seven minutes, _she thought as she paid her fare, _just as well I left early. _The bus ride was only twenty minutes to the city center so she would get there in perfect time - the gang was meeting at eleven o'clock. Though, when she stepped off the bus only Helen and Tara were there.

"Hey guys!"

"Hi, Sue. Any idea where the rest have got to?" Helen asked

"Nope. Erin called this morning to wake me up. She said she had just gotten on a bus."

"Well, she'll probably be here soon."

Just then Lucy walked up with Nikki and Amy. They were chattering about what kind of dresses they wanted to buy,

"Nah, I want a proper ball-gown." Lucy replied to Amy's suggestion.

"I think I'll go with Amy's idea." Nikki responded.

"What idea?" Sue said, reading the conversation when they were close enough.

"I was just saying I didn't want a 'traditional' prom dress. Long just isn't my kind of dress!"

"Yeah, _that's _obvious when I think of the length of the skirt you wear to school." Helen teased.

"Hey! Leave my school skirt out of it!" Amy retorted, laughing.

"Well it _is_ short!" Nikki snorted.

"Oh yeah, you can talk! Your skirt isn't much longer than mine!"

"Children ... children, behave!"

The last comment was from Erin, who'd turned up late as usual. One thing the girls had learned from knowing each other all those years was that you could never expect Erin to be early or even on time. Whereas Helen and Tara were always first to wherever the gang was supposed to meet.

"So ... where to guys?" Sue asked.

"T.K.Maxx of course!" Erin replied

"Yep, only place for decent prom-style dresses." Amy added.

"Well the only place for _affordable_ decent prom-style dresses." Helen corrected.

"True." Lucy and Nikki agreed.

"Well, that's settled then - let's go, it's freezing out here!" Helen exclaimed.

Laughing, they walked toward the St. Enoch center's T.K.Maxx store. Their conversation fell back to the hottest topic of the week around school - the 'Prom'.

"Hey Helen, you never told us who's taking you to the dance." Amy ventured.

"Didn't I?" She said, blushing. "Oh... I'm just going with James."

"James Harper?" Amy asked

"That would be the one."

"I thought you said he was an arse?" Was Erin's response.

"I did... but really he's not that bad. And, no one else asked."

"Didn't co-op guy ask you?" Tara said, using their nickname for him.

"Well he did... but I already said I'd go with James." Helen replied, wrinkling her nose.

They stepped off the escalator and into T.K.Maxx going straight for the rack at the back wall. Lucy, who'd already been in with Amy, knew exactly which dress she wanted and pulled it from the rack to try it on. Stepping back out of the changing room ten minutes later, she was wearing a long white gown. The strapless bodice was covered in silver glitter stars, and the flowing skirt skimmed the floor. The gang instantly chorused their approval and Lucy went to change back into her jeans and sweater. Erin was next to visit the changing room with a deep purple dress. The bodice was similar to that of a corset - Erin's typical choice of top - and the silk skirt had a netted material over it, with small lilac flowers dotted around. One by one the rest of them changed into their choice of dresses, and awaited the approval of the rest of the girls. Tara ended up choosing a simple black dress, which accented her curves without looking 'sluttish'. Nikki had chosen a baby pink one, similar to Tara's, but without sleeves. Amy's was a red figure-hugging Salsa dancing style. With flowing sleeves and a skirt that was split up to the top of her left leg, ruffling slightly at either side of the split.

"Only _you_ would find a way to show a bit of leg in a _long_ skirt!" Helen giggled.

"Well, when you don't have cleavage to flaunt you've got to find other ways to get a guy's attention!" She teased back.

Finally, Sue changed into a dress that was a deep, wine-red and sparkled under the light. The satin bodice had spaghetti straps, and was made to look boned like a corset, only without the actual whale bone. It boosted her cleavage, and hugged her slim waist. Helen's mouth dropped open. In sync with Amy's and Erin's.

"If I wasn't straight - " Helen started.

"Helen, you _aren't _straight." Amy pointed out.

"Might I remind you I'm going to this dance with a _boy_?" Helen replied.

"Yep, but most of your crushes _aren't _on boys!" Erin put in, laughing.

"Anyway, what about you two - were you just trying to catch flies?"

"Well she _does_ look hot in that dress..." Amy admitted.

"I'd kill to have a shape like that!" Erin added.

"When you three get your eyes back in your skulls, let me know." Nikki quipped, walking toward the till to pay for her dress.

With their dresses bought, they headed back out into the street, opting for the more reliable Underground instead of waiting for a bus. Every few stops, one by one they got off the underground train to go home, agreeing to meet back at Sue's later that evening as they were having a slumber party.

**_Iteag! Dana's not happy with you - you promised to review all my fics for chapter ten and did you? No. Well, I suggest, by dearest best friend, that you get reviewing lots if you want the next chapter lol._**


	13. Chapter 13

Helen and Lucy were home first; Helen fumbled for her keys while Lucy opened the door to her own house. Finally Helen found her keys and opened the door to be met with complete silence. _That's weird, Jack should be up by now._ She thought, wondering why it was so quiet since it was two o'clock in the afternoon by the time she'd got back. Helen shrugged and walked up the stairs to her room. She dumped her shopping bag on her bunk bed and flopped onto the couch. She stretched out on the couch and reached for the TV remote, flipping through the channels. _Racing Grandstand ... Hmm, The Rockford Files, nah seen that one ... Record of the Year's still on?! More racing ... Dawson's Creek. Oh fuck it._ Helen thought and switched off the television. She went next door to the computer room that doubled as a mini library and switched on her computer. The second she logged into msn, a conversation window popped up. From Amy, she noticed.

Miss Bitch: Hey, what ya doin'?

Llannadh: Not much, so bloody bored.

Miss Bitch: Join the club!

Llannadh: Heh.

Miss Bitch: Have you seen Jack at all today?

Llannadh: No ... why?

Miss Bitch: was chatting to Sue earlier, she said she was wasting her money buying that dress 'cause Jack wasn't going to ask her to the prom after all...

Llannadh: I'll see if I can find out why ... If I can find him, that is.

Miss Bitch: Huh?

Llannadh: He was meant to be home but it doesn't look like he is.

Miss Bitch: Ah right ... Well, hun, I gotta go. Mum's making me clean the kitchen so I can go to Sue's!

Llannadh: Yeah, I had to clean my room. Did it yesterday though.

Miss Bitch: Lucky. Well, do you want me to meet you along Kelvinway as usual?

Llannadh: Sure, see you about half five?

Miss Bitch: Yup! - call me when you're leaving the house - Bye!

Llannadh: Will do! Bye!

Helen quickly checked her emails, replying to a few and deleting most, then switched off her computer. She browsed the shelves adorning the walls in the room and picked out a book she'd read a couple of times before. Settling herself back into the couch in her bedroom, she flicked through a few chapters and closed the book, sighing heavily. Bored, she decided to check if Jack had gotten back yet. Her parents wouldn't be home until after six since they both had to work. Still carrying the book, she wandered downstairs, checking the lounge and kitchen first. Nothing. So Helen walked back up the stairs to the first landing and knocked on the closed bathroom door. Still nothing. Then, arriving at the second floor, she tapped on Jack's bedroom door with her knuckles. Receiving no reply but seeing the dim flickering light of what she assumed was his TV, she opened the door. He was in the middle of the floor with his back against the bed and didn't even glance up as the door creaked loudly open.

"Jack, why haven't you asked Sue to the prom yet?"

Jack didn't answer his sister's question, just kept staring at the TV.

"Jack?" She said again, still receiving no answer.

After saying his name five times; each time louder than the previous, she gave up and threw her book at him.

"Ow! Jesus - what was that for?!" He yelled, rubbing the back of his head where a corner of the book had hit.

"Well if you would have answered me the first time, you wouldn't be about to have a bruise on that thick skull of yours!"

"Huh?" He asked, looking puzzled.

"I said: if you would have answered me the first time, you wouldn't be about to have a bruise on that thick skull of yours!" She yelled louder

"Sorry, I didn't hear you calling me." He replied, taking something out of his ears.

"What the hell is that?"

"Earplugs." He said, shrugging, "I wanted to see what it was like being deaf..."

It was then that Helen noticed the TV was muted and subtitles were displayed across the bottom of the screen.

"You really are nuts, you know that?" Helen stated, amused.

"Maybe." He mused, "So what was it you wanted?"

"I came in to ask you why you haven't asked Sue to this prom thing."

"I wasn't sure if she'd want to go... seeing as she won't be able to hear the music." He told her, feeling very stupid for some reason.

"Well she does." Helen replied, and walked back out of his room to get her stuff ready for the sleepover.


	14. Chapter 14

Amy was just putting her dinner plate in the dishwasher when her cell phone went off. She pressed the green call button and knowing from the small screen that it was Helen, answered with a cheery

"Hey hun!"

"Hey, s'me." Helen told her, as usual, "just about to leave."

"Okay, see you in ten then?"

"Yep!"

And they said their goodbyes. Amy hastily grabbed her coat and bag, shoved on a pair of sneakers and went to the door. She slammed the door behind her and pulled her hood over her head. December meant snow, rain or both. The uneven ground of the road they called 'Kelvinway' was icy, and in the pitch-blackness of the winter evening, difficult to see - resulting in Amy slipping on a tree root once or twice. Thankfully, she managed to keep her balance and not land on her arse, though.

Five minutes along, Amy lit a cigarette and kept one hand firmly in her pocket. Partly to keep it warm, but also so that she could pull her keys out, just in case. Kelvinway wasn't exactly the safest part of Glasgow's West End, after all. And it got worse when the streetlights disappeared. Not a good thing when you believe in half of the conspiracy theories thanks to the X-Files. Yes, the show that the whole little group loved definitely heightened paranoia.

At the other end of the walkway Helen had done pretty much the same thing, lighting a cigarette and tightly gripping the keys in her own pocket. If Amy was paranoid, Helen was ten times worse. She'd whip round at the sound of a footfall that was not her own. And often, she'd jump when she saw a shadow in front of her. Some of the time, she'd even jump at the sight of her own.

Both lost in their thoughts - Helen's of how stupid her brother could be, and Amy's of the dance with David Thomas - they almost screamed when they, literally, walked into each other.

"Jesus Christ!"

"Holy fuck!"

Both were heard to exclaim simultaneously in fright before they erupted into giggles. At their own stupidity and of relief. Then, linking arms, they proceeded to walk back in the direction Amy had come from to catch a bus to Sue's. It wasn't really that far, but the cold made people like Amy and Helen lazy so instead of walking for ten minutes along to the other end of Argyle Street, they got off the bus after two stops.

The two met Tara crossing over to the other side of the road just as they got off the bus,

"Hey Tara!"

"Hiya guys!" Tara breathed out as Amy and Helen both hugged her.

"Weren't you supposed to meet Nikki?" Amy questioned.

"Yeah, I was ... But she got caught smoking again." Tara said with a worried look.

"Shit. How long's she grounded for this time?" Helen asked.

"Well since it was her gran that caught her and not her mum, it's only a week."

"Lucky." Amy replied

"Yeah, if Bridget had caught her, she'd be grounded for at least a month!" Helen added.

They walked to the end of the street in silence; stopping at the entrance to Sue's building to press the buzzer. Instead of speaking on the intercom, Sue just pressed the brown 'lock release' button to let them in. Amy pushed on the door and went into the communal entry hall, followed by Helen and Tara.

"Hey Sue!" Amy said as soon as they got to the door, "is Erin here yet?"

"Even _I_ know by now, Erin will be late!" Sue replied, giggling.

"True." Amy and Helen nodded in agreement together, like they often did.

Opening the door to Sue's room, they noticed that piled up by the bed were rolled up sleeping bags. And on the floor in front of the portable television was a mountain of bags of popcorn and various other snack foods beside a small heap of plastic bowls to empty the bags in to. And next to that was a stack of DVDs and videos.

"Wow!" Helen's eyes swept over the different snack foods.

"Welcome to my first ever slumber party." Sue said with a shy smile.

Helen, along with Tara and Amy, settled on the floor beside Lucy, using a sleeping bag as a cushion. Helen and Tara set out the bowls, filling them with the assorted bags of sweets and popcorn while Amy shuffled through a DVD collection almost as big as her own. True to form, Erin arrived late, but made up for it by announcing,

"I've got the alcohol if you've got the shot glasses."

"Yep, I've got the shot glasses. Amy did you bring the make-up?" Helen replied

"Make-up?" Sue asked, visibly confused.

"You can't have a slumber party without makeovers!" Amy exclaimed.

"Don't forget pizza!" Tara piped in.

"Already ordered, courtesy of David." Sue told them.

Amy blushed at the sound of his name, which earned her sly smiles from everyone. That definitely called for a change of subject.

"Hey, Helen did you talk to Jack earlier?"

"Uh huh." Helen replied with a grin, making Sue go red in the face, "Sue, I think he's gonna ask you to the dance soon. And you'll never guess what I caught him doing!"

"What?!" Amy and Lucy yelled first.

"What's he done now?" Was Erin's reply.

"Guess!" She told them again.

"Oh come on!" Tara cried.

"I give, tell us!" Sue, who'd been looking back and forth between the five, said.

"Okay, get this - Sue I think you're gonna like this ...." Helen paused for effect.

"What?!" all of them yelled impatiently

"Right, well ... earlier when I was looking for him to ask him about the dance, he was watching TV with the sound off, and the subtitles on... With earplugs in his ears, to see what it'd be like to be deaf."

"Aw that is so sweet!" Amy gushed.

"Isn't it just?" Lucy said.

Helen and Erin both rolled their eyes. This was Helen's _brother_ they were cooing about. And Erin had no time for romance and fairy tales. None whatsoever. Neither did Amy until she saw how Sue was when Jack was around, and vice versa. And of course, until she met David. Tall, sandy hair, blue eyes. If you asked Amy, he was just _dreamy_. Well... she pretended she didn't believe in romance but she was always there to help Lucy in her matchmaking quests.

After an hour or so, they sat cross-legged in the middle of Sue's bedroom floor, surrounded by pizza boxes. Of course, the pizza hadn't stayed in the boxes for long, and pretty quickly Erin was declaring,

"I'd kill for a fag right now."

"Join the club!" Amy said.

Sue gave them apologetic glances. Her mother would have a hissy fit if she found out. But Amy wasn't phased.

"Just tell your mum we're taking Pepper for a walk, I'll take my perfume with me."

Sue nodded, and went to tell her mum while the rest of them put coats over their pajamas. When Sue came back to the sight of them all in pajamas and Parka jackets, she looked somewhere between amused and appalled.

"You're not getting changed first? You're not really going out like that are you? "

"Why not?" Helen asked.

"What if someone sees you?"

"Oh who gives a shit if someone sees us?" Amy replied in bored tones.

"Err ... okay then. Guess I don't have to bother hunting for my jeans!" Sue said with an uncertain smile.

"That's the spirit - come on!"

So the six friends quickly clipped Pepper's leash on and almost ran out of the building to the small park across the road. Amy and Helen took seats on the only two swings while the rest of them sat on the back of a bench across from them. All of them, took cigarette packets from their pockets, except Sue, having had to give hers to Amy at the end of every day for fear of being caught with them. Amy chucked Sue's pack across to her before lighting her own cigarette and blowing out a string of smoke-rings. Sue watched Erin follow suit, in awe.

"How d'you do that?" She asked, amazed.

"I learned from the best." Erin replied, with a nod in Amy's direction.

"Can you teach me?" Sue queried, looking at Amy.

"Sure, you just shape your mouth in an 'o'," she started, demonstrating, "like this... and instead of blowing all the smoke out at once, you let it out in little bursts ... like this." Amy finished, showing Sue another perfect smoky circle.


	15. Chapter 15

Sue tried in vain with each puff of the cigarette until she took the last drag and got it - resulting in cheers from Amy, Helen, Erin, Lucy and Tara. After that, they clipped Pepper's leash on her collar again and went back inside. It was cold enough to see their breaths come out in clouds of steam, and in thin pajamas all of them were shivering. Before Sue pressed the buzzer for someone to let them in, Amy hurriedly sprayed them all with her perfume so Carla - Sue's mother - wouldn't smell the smoke. Avoiding Carla, they rushed back into Sue's bedroom and curled up inside the assorted sleeping backs in an attempt to warm up. When the last set of teeth had finally stopped chattering, Amy picked out a movie and put it in the DVD player.

"Oh not Dirty Dancing again!" Helen moaned.

"Hey, it's a classic." Amy shrugged.

So with that, they settled against the side of Sue's bed to watch the movie - with Amy and Erin getting up at some point to copy one of the dances. Halfway into the second movie - Stepmom - Carla popped her head round the door to say goodnight. A chorus of

"Goodnight Mrs. Thomas." along with

"Night mom."

rang out and Carla went to bed. As soon as the credits rolled by at the end of Stepmom, Erin whispered

"Who's up for a shot-game?"

"Shot-game?" Sue asked.

"Well, me and Helen made one up called 'I've never' ... You fill the shot-glasses with alcohol - doesn't matter what - and you say something you've never done and if anyone in the group _has_ done it, they take the shot." Erin told her, while pouring a bright blue liquid into each tiny glass, "great way to find out all your friends' secrets, if they haven't already told you!"

She lined the glasses up in front of them and started by saying

"I have never fought physically with Carly."

Amy and Lucy gulped back the blue drinks in reply. Erin filled them again and next it was Amy's turn,

"I have never ..." she paused to think, "I have never ... dated a girl!"

Erin and Helen both lifted their glasses to swallow the liquid that tasted oddly like bubblegum.

"I have never ... dated a guy for more than six months." Helen said,

"Damn it - me again?" Amy said, knocking back her shot, "hmm, I have never had a crush on a teacher."

"Liar!" Erin declared laughingly before drinking her shot - followed by every single one of them, including Sue.

"Okay Sue, your turn." Lucy told her.

"Um ... I have never... been kissed." She blurted, blushing with embarrassment as she watched all of them drink their shots.

Erin refilled the glass again and waited for Tara to take a turn,

"I have never ..." She stopped, wondering if she should say it or not, "went down on a guy." She finished hurriedly.

Erin was the only first to drink her shot, followed by a hesitant Helen.

"Okay... I have never fancied co-op guy!" Erin laughed out.

Helen was the only one to lift her glass this time.

"I have never gone the whole way with a guy."

Again, Erin and Amy drank the shots.

The game went on like this for half an hour, until all of the girls were suitably ... _drunk_ and Erin suggested they play spin the bottle - with a slight twist.

"What's the twist, exactly?" Lucy asked.

"Well, we'll play it like a truth-dare thing, and the _forfeit_ is to kiss..."

Amy spun the empty Alco-pop bottle first. When it stopped, the neck of the bottle pointed at Sue.

"Truth or dare?"

"Truth." Sue replied hesitantly

"Is it true that you've never been kissed?" Amy asked Sue, with a hint of incredulity in her voice.

"Um... yes." She answered quietly, trying to shrug off the embarrassment she was feeling.

"Okay, your turn to spin."

The neck landed in Amy's direction whom promptly selected Dare.

"I dare you to ..." Her brow furrowed as she thought, and Erin mouthed something to her, "tell us which one of your best friends you once had a crush on."

"Shit." Amy muttered, and staring at the floor answered, "Helen."

Amy then spun the bottle, which coincidentally, landed pointing at Helen

"Truth or dare!"

"Um ... Truth?"

"Okay ... is it true that you are a lesbian?"

"No." Helen replied hurriedly.

It was an ongoing debate among the group, and one that Helen always denied. Well, she would, considering it was only half the truth.

"Yeah right, spin."

"What?"

"Spin, whoever it lands on is who you kiss for forfeit." Amy said simply.

So Helen did spin the bottle, reluctantly, the neck pointing at a very worried-looking Sue.

"How long?" Helen sighed.

"Hmm we'll make it easy on Sue and say... five seconds."

As soon as Amy counted to five, their lips parted. Sue laughed nervously and said

"Well ... I never imagined my first real kiss would be with a girl!"

* * *

**_Well Iteag, consider this an early Christmas pressie from Moi! lol Love ya babe!_**


	16. Chapter 16

Sue sat at the table in the kitchen, stirring a spoon in her cup of tea. She hadn't bothered drinking any of it; she was too busy thinking about the dance. It was probably cold now, anyway. They had the afternoon off from school, since the dance was that evening - it was 4pm and Jack still hadn't even asked her yet. She sighed wistfully, wondering if she would be going when Pepper jumped up and rested her front paws on Sue's knee, barking.

"What is it, girl?"

Pepper barked again and raced out of the kitchen, down the hall. Stopping in front of the door, she looked up at Sue and barked again. Sue smiled proudly; this was the first time Pepper had alerted her to any sounds. She knelt to rub the dog's head before opening the door.

"Jack... what are you doing here?"

"I ... uh... was wondering if you wanted to go to the dance?"

"Cutting it a bit short are you not?" She glared at him, but she had a playful sparkle in her eye.

"Err... well, I wasn't sure if you'd wanna go... not hearing the music and that." He told her truthfully.

"Well... I don't know... it's kinda short notice..." She frowned, then watching Jack's face fall slightly, she smiled, "but I guess I should take the chance to wear that dress I bought."

"Great!" He replied, suddenly feeling very nervous, handing her a small posy of white and red roses.

"Thanks - just let me go and change!" And with that, she ran off in the direction of her bedroom.

In her room, Sue laid out her dress on the bed and plugged in a set of curling irons. Her heart was pounding with excitement and she could feel butterflies in her stomach. After just over an hour, she left her room, and went back to the hallway where Jack was still standing, looking at the photos of her family along the wall. She cleared her throat to get his attention. He turned around to face her and the look on his face said it all. His jaw dropped.

"Trying to catch flies, or something, Jack?" She teased.

He closed his mouth quickly, then opened it again to speak.

"That was quick... for a girl."

"Funny." She said sarcastically after slapping him on the arm, "So ... what do you think?" She then asked, twirling around.

"Wow!" He managed to breathe out, then he signed _"You look beautiful!"_

She looked at him with questioning eyes, and an amused expression on her face. Jack shrugged and told her,

"Helen said you'd been teaching the gang ASL so I asked her to teach me some..."

"I'm impressed!" She replied, smiling.

"Well, our chariot awaits, M'lady." He informed her with a smile.

He held out an arm, which she gladly took and led her outside. To where two black limousines were waiting. Being that a limousine only held about 8 people, they'd needed two to fit the whole gang. Amy and David Thomas, Helen and James, Lucy and Bobby and Sue and Jack shared one, while Erin and David Williams, Nikki and Jake and Tara and Kyle were in the other.

When they arrived at the school assembly hall, they quickly found seats at the table that the girls had reserved for their group. Sitting down next to Jack, it was obvious that Sue was nervous. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze to reassure her and she smiled weakly. The girls soon fell into a conversation about how good the hall looked, and how well it seemed to be going. Already, couples could be seen dancing together in the middle of the floor. Instead of a band, like you'd normally see in an American teen movie, the girls had decided that they'd recruit certain students from the school to sing. When they first arrived a girl was singing Because You Loved Me. Then it was a group of boys who performed Bon Jovi hits. Sue and Jack sat alone at their table, talking instead of dancing since Jack still wasn't sure about whether she'd want to. Their last song, Bed of Roses, had started playing when Sue asked Jack to dance.

There were hundreds of couples on the floor for that song, including all of Sue's friends, but everyone in the room seemed to fade around them as Jack lip-synced the words to her.

"When you close your eyes  
Know I'll be thinking about you  
While my mistress she calls me  
To stand in her spotlight again  
Tonight I won't be alone  
But you know that don't  
Mean i'm not lonely I've got nothing to prove  
For it's you that I'd die to defend

I want to lay you down on a bed of roses  
For tonight I sleep on a bed on nails  
I want to be just as close as the holy ghost is  
And lay you down on bed of roses."

The song came to an end but he still held her in the middle of the room, oblivious to the couples around them, and mouthed,

"Sue, I think I'm falling in love with you."

But instead of the happy reception he'd hoped for, she turned on her heels and ran from the room. Amy, Lucy and Helen looked as though they wanted to go after her but he told them not to and he too ran out of the room, to find Sue.

He found her after about fifteen minutes of walking round the whole school building. She was at the girls' usual break time haunt - the statue of the Virgin Mary - crying.

"What's wrong?" Jack questioned, concerned.

"It's nothing really..."

"You can't be crying over nothing." He pressed, putting a protective arm around her shoulders.

"You know ... Helen told me about you watching TV with the sound muted, wearing earplugs..." She told him, smiling ever so slightly. "it's just that, back home none of the kids ever bothered to even _try_ to understand what it's like to be deaf. Now though, I actually have real friends. Friends who _want _to understand and learn. Sure I've got a few enemies too..." Jack chuckled, remembering the fight between Amy and Carly. "But, for the first time in my life people are listening to what I think and ... I'm not so much of an outcast anymore and ... I've finally found someone I love who loves me back and ..."She paused, taking a deep breath before she continued. "Well I'm scared I'll lose all that when we go back to America."

"You're going back? When?"

"Dad said this morning that we'd be home by the end of December."

"Isn't there something you can do?"

"He only moved us here so he could set up a new branch of the business, and now it's up and running he doesn't feel any need to stay."

Jack couldn't find the right words to convey his feelings at that moment, so he just held her.


	17. Chapter 17

Lucy walked out of the assembly hall they'd been using, to go and find Sue and Jack. The teachers would be crowning the Prom King and Queen soon and she didn't want them to miss it. She'd walked around the whole school looking for them, checking in empty classrooms and the toilets - even daring to go into the guys'. Eventually she came to the back of the school and heard Sue's voice from their 'smoker's spot'. She listened silently as Sue said

"Dad said this morning that we'd be home by the end of December."

Lucy waited until she couldn't hear them speaking any more and treaded slowly around the statue.

"Hey," she said as brightly as she could, "they're crowning king and queen soon."

"Thanks, you coming Sue?" Jack asked.

Lucy pretended not to notice Sue quickly drying a tear, and led them back into the school building where the Head Mistress and an English teacher stood on the stage.

"Well now that I've bored you all with my speech, I'll let Mrs. McDade announce the Prom King."

"Thank you Mrs. Hutton," Mrs. McDade said with a smile and nod, "our first Prom King ever, voted by the students is... Jack Hudson!"

Jack stared at Sue with a 'deer-caught-in-the-headlights' expression before taking his place on the stage to have the crown placed on his head. He gave a short speech, about Sue mostly.

"And our Prom Queen is..." Mrs. Hutton began

"Sue Thomas!" Mrs. McDade proudly announced.

Sue was enveloped in hugs from Amy, Erin, Helen, Nikki, Tara and Lucy, respectively. Then she took her place next to the Prom King. Tears stung her eyes as her English teacher sat the crown on top of her head and she moved closer to the mike.

"Well, I guess it's my turn to make a speech..." Sue took a deep breath, "I guess I'd like to say thank you to all of you who voted for me. But I'd especially like to thank Amy, Erin, Helen, Nikki, Tara, Lucy and Jack for taking me under their wing. You too Bobby. You've all been there for me and I'm so grateful that I met you. If it wasn't for you guys, this school would be just as much a living hell as the last. I'm gonna miss you."

With that, she hurriedly fled the stage as the tears began to spill. Jack ran after her, with the girls in tow. Catching up, they demanded an explanation as to why she would have to miss them. Sue explained what she had to Jack and they sat for a while in a shocked silence.

**_One more chapter to go for this part of the series, and to answer your question _**LadyJaye, **_I do intend to continue after this, just not sure exactly what I'm gonna do with the third part of the series - I have just begun writing the second part. _**


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